Making a Great Family Tradition

‘Tis the season for delicious food, twinkling lights, and loved ones coming from near and far. Chances are, you have traditions for this time of year. Whether it’s watching your favorite holiday movie or volunteering at a soup kitchen, these traditions help spread cheer and make lasting memories.

Many traditions revolve around decorating homes, making special meals, playing board games, or watching football and parades. But how do you create traditions?

A tradition is something that happens once a year or only a few times a year. They’re special because of their infrequency. If we had holiday lights up year-round, they wouldn’t mean anything. The same rule applies with your favorite holiday foods. If we had green bean casserole every Sunday night for dinner, we’d be sick of it. Something else that makes traditions so special is adding your own twist. You don’t need an extravagant light shows or immaculately decorated interiors to celebrate the season. A little imagination and personality will make each tradition your own.

Many traditions stem from family heritage and history. For example, your grandparents or great grandparents may have lived during The Great Depression. During this time, receiving an orange would have been significant because this fruit was expensive and hard to find. This tradition has carried on throughout generations of

families. Today, it may just be a piece of fruit that costs less than a dollar, but it represents love and sacrifice during the holiday season.

Not all traditions have to be consciously created. The ones that happen naturally and by circumstance can be the ones that mean the most. Remember, a tradition doesn’t have to be an elaborately planned activity or an expensive, fancy meal. Sometimes the simplicity of an orange has the greatest impact.